Tax Collector To Open New Southshore Office July 24

SUN CITY CENTER, FL -- Construction of the Hillsborough County Tax Collector's 14,000-square-foot office in Southshore is near completion and the new facility is scheduled to open on Tuesday, July 24.

The new office is located at 406 30th St., S.E., just north of the existing office and adjacent to the Hillsborough County Southshore Regional Service Center.The new office will replace the current Tax Collector'S office in the Sun Point Shopping Center at 3002 E. College Ave.

The Southshore facility was needed to meet the needs of the growing Southshore area, which includes Apollo Beach, Riverview, Ruskin and Wimauma. That area has grown by 74 percent since 2000 and is projected to grow another 10.3 percent by 2020.

The new building is located on parcels owned by Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority and Hillsborough County. The cost to build the new office is just over $3 million, including all interior improvements.

The Tax Collector's Office was previously leasing space for $135,000 per year. Belden estimates buying the land on the open market would have been an additional $1 million. He said it was more cost-effective to partner with HART and Hillsborough County.

"It is important to me and my office to work diligently with local and state government offices to better serve our citizens while maintaining a fiscally conservative budget," Belden said.

As part of the agreement, a new bus stop on 30th street for HART riders will be built.

At the new location, residents will be able to obtain driver licenses, pay property taxes, renew registrations as well as obtain Florida birth certificates and hunting and fishing licenses.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled to take place on Monday, July 23 at 9 a.m.

Images via Hillsborough Tax Collector

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